Improvement in machines for generating and carbureting hydrogen gas



IPATENTED MAY 24, 1870.

- H. LHOYT. I MACHINE FOR GENERATING ANDCARBURETING HYDROGEN GAS.

INVENTDP,

VS/'1' INES SE S .JJ N

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

HENRY I. HOYT, OF-NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 103,465, dated May 24,1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY I. HOYT, 01 N orwalk, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Generating and Carbureting Hydrogen Gas;and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making a part of this specification, and the letters of reference markedthereon, in which the same letter represents the same thing in eachfigure.

My invention relates to improvements upon machines for generating purehydrogen gas by the action of dilute acid upon iron or zinc filings orchippings, and to devices in combination therewith for carburetin g saidgasbefore it leaves the apparatus in which it is generated by passing itthrough gasoline or other hydrocarbon liquid; and my improvementsconsist, first, in so constructing and arranging the wire basket forholding the metal chippings that it m. y be removed, recharged, andreplaced without stopping the supply of ga to the burners secondly, inso constructing and arranging the vessel which contains thecarbureting-chamber that it can be removed from the apparatus withoutstopping the flow of gas to the burners; thirdly, in the constructionand employment of a combined pipe and coupling and stop-cock for thepipe which connects the carbureting-chamber with the gas-holder, saidcoupling being so constructed and arranged that it cannot bedisconnected for the purpose of removing the carburetingchamber withoutclosing the pipe from the gas-holder so as to confine the gas therein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section ofan apparatus containing my improvements, and Fig. 2 a sectional view ofmy improved pipe-couplin g.

A is a cylindrical vessel, of any desired size, made of sheet metal,having an inverted conical bottom, B, from the apex of which apipe, a,extends through the side of the cylinder and up to the top of the sameon the outside, where it terminates in a funnel, b, for introducing thedilute acid.

At the bottom of the cylinder A, and at the outside thereof, this pipe abranches, and the branch a, provided with a miter-valve, 1), serves fordrawingoff the sediment depositedin the acidulated water. Within saidcylinder A, and concentric therewith, is another cylinder, C, attachedto the bottom 13, and extending up flush with top of the cylinder A,forming a water-tight annular chamber, 0, between said cylinders. Intothis annular water-space the gasholderD dips in the ordinary way. Saidgasholder is annular in form, having acylindrical cavity or opening downthrough its center, for insertin g the carburetin g vessel andmetal-holding basket. Within said cylindrical opening, and concentrictherewith, is another cylinder, E, which is attached to the cylinderwhich forms the inner wall of the holder by a watertight joint at e,forming an annular waterchamber between the said'cylinder E'and theinner wall of the annular gas-holder.

F is the carbureting-vessel, which contains the hydrocarbon liquid,through which the gas passes from the generating-chamber before passinginto the holder. This carbureting-vessel F is surrounded by a cylinder,F attached to the same cover which dips into the annular chamber d, thusforming a liquid joint or seal, to prevent the escape of gas from thegenerating-chamber around the outside of the carbureting-vessel. Thesaid carbureting-vessel E is divided into two compartments by an annularpartition, which compartments communicate with each other throughopenings f f, the gas being introduced into the inner compartment only.

Gr is the gas-generating chamber, immedi ately under thecarbureting-chamber. H is a woven-wire basket for holding the metalturnings or chippings; and H, a cone 'of woven wire, rising fromthebottom of said basket, to

facilitate the upward flow of the gas and 'pre-' vent it from passingout into the holder before passing through the carbureting chamber.

The wire basket H is suspended 117i): the earbureting-vessel by means ofhookjsfjy-j 'j, or, when said hooks are detached, rests upon cross-slatsk, which, as well as the wings or fans 70, attached to the innercylinder of the holder, serve as agitators, to mix the acid and water byrotating the holder.

Extending down through theceuter of the carbureting-vessel to the bottomthereof is a cylinder or tube, L, which is closed at the top' by a screwor clamp cap,M, and is used for introducing the liquid hydrocarbon intothe carbureting-chamber.

A smaller pipe, L, is located within the pipe L, its lower end openingto the gas-generating chamber, and its upper end being covered by ahood, I, to prevent the hydrocarbon liquid from entering the pipe L whenpoured down the pipe L. The hydrocarbon liquid enters the carbureting-chamber through openings or perforations t t, and the gas, risin gfrom the generating-chal'nber through the pipe L, descends around theoutside of said pipe to the said perforations 11 4, through which itenters the carbureting-chamber at the bottom, thence passing up throughthe hydrocarbon liquid and over into the holder through theconnecting-pipe T.

In order to admit of the removal of the carbureting-vessel from theapparatus, this connecting-pipe is made detachable; and in order toprevent the escape of gas from the holder when the pipe is detached, Iemploy a coupling device and a stop-cock in combination, so constructedand arranged that the pipe cannot be uncoupled without turning thestop-cock, so as to close that part of the pipe which connects with thegas-holder, and so preventing the escape of gas therefrom. This combinedcoupling device and stop-cock are most clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The coupling device consists of a clamp or shackle, 0, provided with twohandles, 1) p, and the stop-cock S is provided with a handle, t andthese devices are so arranged that the planes of rotation of the handlescross each other at right angles, and so that the handles of thecoupling device cannot be turned to uncouple the connecting-pipe tillthe handle of the stop-cock has been so turned as to close the pipeleading to the gas-holder.

The hooks on the lower end of the carbureting-vessel engage with hookson cross-rods on the top of the metal-holding basket, and as said hooksall turn in the same direction they may be made to seize or release thebasket by partially rotating the said carbureting-vessel. By this meansthe carburetingvessel may be removed from the apparatus, either with orwithout the basket, as may be desired; and in either case, theconnecting pipe N being uncoupled and that part entering the gas-holderbeing closed by the stopcock O, the flow of gas to the burners will becontinued Without interruption till the holder is exhausted, though thecarbureting-vessel and metal-holding basket may both or either of thembe removed from the apparatus.

Q is a condenser, through which the gas must pass from the holder beforereaching the service-pipe g.

It will be seen that as the gas-holder rises it carries thecarbureting-vessel and metal basket with it, so that when an excess ofgas is generated the holder will lift the metalholding basket out of thedilute acid, and no more gas will be generated till the holder againdescends from exhaustion, thus rendering the apparatus automaticallyself-regulating. This feature, however, is not new, and I lay no claimto it. t

In this application I have described several devices which are claimedjointly by John T. Earle and myself in an application for Letters Patentby us now pending in the Patent Office, all of which I disclaim as mysole invention. There are other devices described which are not new, andhave been patented to others; I therefore disclaim everything describedherein except what is hereinafter specifically claimed; but

I do claim as improvements invented by me, and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The apparatus so constructed and the metal-holdingbasket so arranged that the latter can be removed from the apparatuswithout arresting the flow of the gas to the burners, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. The apparatus so constructed and arranged that the carbureting vesselmay be re moved from the apparatus, either with or without themetal-holding basket, without arresting the flow of gas to the burners,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combined coupling device and stop cock, constructed, arranged,and operating substantially as described.

4. The combined coupling device and stopcock, in combination with theremovable carbureting-chamber and the gas-holder, substantially asdescribed.

HENRY I. HOYT.

\Vitnesses S. J. GORDON, THOMAS J. BALDWIN.

